Izzy’s meltdown

Izzy Alcantara

Corner infielder Izzy Alcantara, then with Class AAA Pawtucket, makes national headlines for all the wrong reasons 23 years ago today as he reacts to an inside pitch from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s Blas Cedeno by drop-kicking catcher Jeremy Salazer and then charging the mound.

The International League suspends Alcantara for seven games before the Boston Red Sox eventually promotes him to the majors on Sept. 1.

Alcantara goes on to parts of three seasons in the majors with Boston and Milwaukee, batting .270 with six home runs in 115 career at-bats.

As for Salazar, he spends two more seasons as a backup catcher for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, which at the time is the Philadelphia Phillies’ Class AAA affiliate.

Unlike Alcantara, Salzar never reaches the majors and retires after the 2003 season at the age of 27.

“I always joke that I’m the most famous catcher ever,” Salazar later says, “because everybody remembers that particular incident.”